Pezock does not seem to hear Lorenz's remark. He's too busy talking quietly to his sword about the glory they will soon attain. "Provided, of course, this blasted walking ever ends," he can be heard to say at one point.

A bit of rain in the afternoon helps to break the heat a little, but alas, it's not a lot of rain and the remainder of the day continues to be sweltering, not really starting to cool until the sun starts to get low on the horizon.

Apart from that, however, the day is uneventful and calm. You set up camp on a small hillock in the grassy plains. There's a good view from here of the surrounding area.

"How much farther to Kalabuto?" Pezock asks almost immediately as the group decides to stop for the evening.

"A few more days," Shokambe replies with a hint of a smile.

"Bah!" Pezock snorts. "You always say a few more days. On Smuggler's Shiv, I could get anywhere in just a few days. This place is too big."

After an uncomfortably hot, but otherwise peaceful night, you set out again under the unrelentingly hot sun. After a break in the afternoon for the savage midday heat, you continue on for a couple more miles before reaching an unusual sight: A collection of snaking mounds about three feet high spreads across the savanna like an alien land formation. Some twist and wind for several hundred yards, while others sink back into the soil after only a few yards.

Shokambe bends down to examine the first of them (taking 10 on Survival). After a few moments, he stands back up. "They're burrows, he says. "And they're relatively new. The creatures that dug them are quite large and insectile as best I can tell. They're undoubtedly still out there somewhere. We can cross over them if you like, but I can't guarantee the stability of the ground. There's no telling how many tunnels the creatures have dug. Also, the creatures could come at us at any time. We could go around, but depending how wide-ranging the tunnels are, it could cost time, hopefully no more than a few hours."

Lorenz looks nervously at the ground. "I really don't like the sound of that. Can we go around them?" He begins to move more carefully, testing the ground with his toes before applying his entire weight.

"I'm not afraid of some unstable ground or giant insects!" Pezock declares. He points forward with his sword. "I say we go on! If we fall into an underground cave, it might just be more interesting than this boring grass."

"I wonder if they're like the skritchy-doll tunnels," Douena ponders. "I don't think I ever did get to explore all of them. But no one made these on purpose; they're not like traps," she tells Urza. "I can't fix them so no one will fall in. And you guys are awfully big and stompy."

Pezock grumbles a bit about everyone being cowards, but acquiesces relatively quickly to going around the area. It turns out to be a fairly large area, but according to Shokambe, it could have been much worse. It costs you a couple hours of time, but overall, you still haven't lost what you gained from cutting through the mine. By late afternoon, you make it to the other side and continue as if there had been no interruption.

A heavy downpour in the evening helps take the edge off the heat as you set up camp. "How much longer?" Pezock asks for the bajillionth time.

"How much longer do you think?" is the only answer Shokambe supplies him with. Pezock scowls.

Lorenz's smile falters a little. "I prefer trying to avoid holes in the ground in general. They can be most unpleasant to fall into." He wrinkles his nose, recalling the moonless night early in his travels when he'd accidentally stumbled into the latrine pit while on watch.

After a pleasant night, you continue on the next morning. The heat seems a little less intense today. It's still hot, but it's a relief nonetheless. You've only travelled for a little over an hour, when you spot movement ahead, large figures moving through the grasses.

It's not unusual to spot animals in the distance, but this instance marks itself as different quite quickly when a large insect-like head with snapping pincers peers up above the grass. Its eyes immediately settle on the party and it lets out a loud chirping noise. Five other insect heads rise above the grass.

An invisible field of protection springs up around Mahjik at Urza's touch. Urza then moves forward.

Not wasting any time, Sasha springs forward, pulling out her weapons (double move to H13), followed closely by Makoa.

"Shouldn't we perhaps..." Shokambe starts to say, but realizes no one's waiting for consultations. He pulls out his mace and moves forward to stay with the group, but behind those now in the lead (move to E11)

Lorenz keeps moving carefully closer until he's fairly certain he's in range of one of the giant insects. He stops, lifts his bow and pulls back on the arrow, concentrating on a weak looking spot on the creature's exoskeleton before loosing.

Douena glances back and forth between Pezock and Sasha, both of whom have displayed a troubling propensity to run into danger and get themselves into trouble quickly. "Wish they'd stick together," she grumbles. "I can't be in two places at once. Have to be quick on my feet, Desna," she implores before dashing forward with a sudden burst of speed.

The charging beasts bite into each of their opponents with acid-covered mandibles, tearing away bits of flesh. Sasha and Ishirou are particularly badly hurt. Ishirou looks close to collapsing from just the one attack.

Ishirou ducks and rolls out of the way of the stream. Jask tries to do the same, but only avoids a portion of it.

Ankheg #2 bite at Sasha: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13 -- miss

#2 bites again at Sasha, but she spins aside just in time. #3 and #6 both lower there heads and begin swiping at the ground, burrowing down with incredible speed. In moments, they have disappeared beneath the ground. You can just hear a hint of rumbling and feel the tiniest bit of shaking on the ground as they tunnel along (burrow double move).